Harry Potter had decided, from the first day he had been in the wizarding world, that it was horribly old and antiquated. Seriously, Robes?! I mean, as common wear that was one thing, but the girls looked like they'd DIE if they ever had to ride astride! It was positively ridiculous.
In yet another form of antediluvian torture*, Harry Potter and the rest of the classes (the entire first year, in fact) were going to be riding broomsticks. Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have minded this, if it was at all practical. But unless you took to leaving your keys thirty feet above your head (and out on the ledge too, riding inside was both stupid and dangerous), it really wasn't practical. There were dozens of magical means of transport, and this one required use of both hands**, which made it more ridiculous than even a flying carpet. That would take freight, at least.
So, this was a class that Harry Potter did not want to take. At least it was only going to be Thursday afternoons (although their class schedule was so wild that Harry was sure Dumbledore just used darts. Potions with the Slytherins And the Gryffindors was more madness than even the Headmaster ought to throw their way).
Still, Ron Weasley seemed excited, and from the excited babble (Harry only responded halfheartedly to keep the lad talking), Harry gleaned that most wizarding boys (at least, maybe the girls, but Ron didn't have older sisters...) had already sat a training broom. Now, though, here was the important part (at least if you believed Ron), eleven was the age when one graduated to a Real Broom, one without safeties.
Great, yet another thing which Harry would be behind at. Or, quite possibly, horrible. Harry didn't want to look completely dreadful at anything, so he'd been pushing himself to study as much as he could. But one couldn't study flying without a broom (well, one could, and Harry had - he thought he had caught Granger doing the same), or at least one couldn't do so well.
Trying to mask his own nervousness, Harry looked at everyone else. Granger looked green, although most of the other Muggleborns simply looked curious. A tiny Slytherin girl was holding the broom by the bristles (clearly not a recommended procedure, as Malfoy strode over to explain about the proper methods of holding a broomstick). The Ravenclaws mostly looked bored. Only the Hufflepuffs looked cheerful, somehow - apparently the Gryffindors were a tad defensive when among everyone - or maybe they just had more of a yen to prove themselves in a situation where Gryffindor's Virtue might somehow be applicable, class or no class.
Given a chance, Harry Potter would pass on that last bit. Strangely, no one ever seemed to give him one.
*Yes, exaggerating. Harry does this.
**Safe Harry thinks this. Madman Harry of the Books might know better. Safe Harry has only been reading about Quiddich to not appear a complete dullard. Also, Safe Harry is not nearly as cautious as he thinks he is.
[a/n: Whee! an upward turn. Harry has his own thoughts, and agenda, but school's mostly the same. How do you think he'll handle being on a broom? Leave a review...please?]